SANTUARIO DI SANTA CATERINA DEL SASSO
Go there and contact
One of the most evocative places of Lake Maggiore, suspended on a cliff.
Built between the 12th and 13th centuries and enlarged in the following centuries, the Sanctuary of Santa Caterina del Sasso, a masterpiece of elegance and engineering, is one of the most evocative places on Lake Maggiore. Located on the western shore of the lake, on the Lombard side, it can be reached by road down a long steep staircase (275 steps!), or by boat (which remains the best way to approach it), from the landing stages of Stresa and Verbania in Piedmont, or Laveno and Angera, in Lombardy. This fascinating construction, suspended from a cliff, lost in the middle of the lake, seems to defy the laws of gravity. An incredible work for the time, when the merchant Alberto Besozzi, who survived a shipwreck following a storm on the lake, vowed to build it. He later settled there with a small community of Dominicans. By taking the path overlooking the waters of the lake, one reaches the chapter house. It is of typical Lombard Gothic architecture and is decorated with frescoes dating from the 14th to the 17th century. Former refectory of the monastery, it is the oldest part. Note the two-tone marble fireplace with the emblem of the Carmelite order. We then cross a terrace to reach the church decorated with beautiful 16th century frescoes, and the chapel that preserves the relics of Alberto Besozzi, who has since been sanctified. These remains have miraculously escaped decomposition...
Book the Best Activities with Get Your Guide
Members' reviews on SANTUARIO DI SANTA CATERINA DEL SASSO
